Just four days ago, Sony announced its a7II: the world’s first full-frame digital camera with 5-axis image stabilization build into the body. But as impressive as we know the image stabilization could be, no one was quite sure what glass said stabilization would work with.

The news, however, is all good. New reports are confirming that the a7II’s stabilization will work with all(!) 3rd party lenses.

Image stabilization is a tricky business. There are a plethora of ways to do it: optical image stabilization, algorithmic stabilization and, more recently, hybrid options that combine the best of analogue and digital input.

A great example is Instagram’s new Hyperlapse app, which gathers data from the accelerometer built into your iPhone and uses that data to digitally correct for camera shake and give you smooth footage.

And now, an upcoming product called SteadXP wants to do the same thing for your DSLR or GoPro. Read more…

Typically, lens announcements go unnoticed unless the lens in question is some optically incredible, super-wide aperture prime lens. But if the idea of an 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 lens leaves you thoroughly unexcited, we would beg you to read on, because Fuji’s first attempt at a weather-resistant XF lens might just knock your socks off. Read more…

Tokina broke new ground yesterday when it announced its very first optically-stabilized lens. Dubbed the AT-X 70-200mm F4 PRO FX VCM-S, it uses a voice coil motor-driven IS system to deliver a promised three stops of image stabilization for the shaky of hand. Read more…

Canon’s 50mm lens lineup is getting crowded… at least that’s what Canon seems to think. According to a fresh rumor, the company has plans to replace the current 50mm f/1.4 USM. But it won’t be replaced by another f/1.4. Instead, Canon might do away with the lens altogether and release a high-end 50mm f/1.8 IS USM instead. Read more…

Optical image stabilization is all about keeping the camera still even as the housing shakes or otherwise moves around. And when it comes to stabilization in nature, few creatures are as good at keeping their camera (read: head) perfectly still as the chicken.

So why not strap a camera onto a chicken’s head and turn the guy (or gal) into a fowl-stabilized action cam!? Why, no reason at all! Read more…

Today’s minor update from Instagram — you can tell it’s minor because it’s version 4.0.2 — was actually a bit more feature-packed than the number suggests. Coming on the heels of the major Instagram Video update in 4.0, the newest iOS update adds much sought-after landscape support as well as video stabilization when using the front-facing camera. Read more…

This month, the Consumer & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) released a new standard to help make better sense of the world of image stabilization. Theoretically, the standard will make sure that all manufacturers test and report image stabilization statistics the same way, so you can better compare between lens brands.

And although we haven’t heard anything from any other company, Nikon has already hopped aboard and released a list of CIPA-compliant numbers. Read more…

In light of the ever-tightening bond between camera manufacturing giants, Olympus is rumored to be working hand-in-hand with Sony to bring their 5-Axis image stabilization technology to Sony’s upcoming A-mount cameras.Read more…